Serene is an adjective that describes how all Andover students wish they felt more often. And when entering the Italian-American restaurant Serene, customers are instantly welcomed by the soothing ambiance and attentive service. A recent installation in downtown Andover, in a space previously occupied by Vincenzo’s, another Italian restaurant, this elegant and sophisticated restaurant is one of a kind. Serene is decorated precisely to match its name. With calming purple tones, the atmosphere is relaxing and feminine. The quality of food served at Serene was at least equal to that of Bertucci’s, even if the restaurants do not share the same taste in decoration. Although the food is more costly–and there are no rolls–the food is still delicious. The owner, Sally Fabian, publicly opened Serene on March 8, 2008 after a redesign. It is located above Starbucks and Kabloom on Main Street. The restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, as well as on Sunday for brunch from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Additionally, on Friday and Saturday, Serene offers live jazz music from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. With a beautiful view of the town of Andover, this restaurant is ideal for a relaxing evening filled with delicious food. On average, Serene is extremely busy on Friday and Saturday nights, and in order to get a table, it is imperative for students to make a reservation. It can seat over 100 people, and the restaurant even has a Function Room generally reserved for meetings and birthdays. Fabian said, “I love people, I love cooking, and I love collecting wine—put it all together and that’s a restaurant.” Although she worked in computers for 30 years, she was extremely confident and excited about the opportunity to open her own restaurant. Ashley Saffer, Fabian’s daughter, works as the seating hostess. She said, “Opening a restaurant was [my mother’s] passion and it’s been awesome ever since.” Fabian is also particularly excited for her culinary staff. She said, “We have a wonderful chef who used to work at Bonfire, a Todd English restaurant, and at the Four Seasons in Boston. We are lucky to have him.” The menu this chef creates every night does hold a small selection of vegetarian options, though customers are certainly encouraged to specialize their order. Currently, Serene does not specifically order organic products for their dishes. Most importantly, Fabian wants anyone to feel comfortable and welcomed. Specifically, she invited students to come to Serene to do work or study. “We’re a family restaurant,” she said, “we cater to everyone.” The prices ranges from 15 to 27 dollars for a meal off the dinner menu, although the salads are large and relatively less expensive. The service was speedy and the waiters and waitresses friendly. One waitress, Keri Pignatone said, “The staff is really nice; I like the atmosphere.”
